New Vendor Onboarding: What You Need to Know in 2026
Nexus Market has updated its vendor onboarding process for 2026 with several significant changes. This guide documents the new requirements based on publicly available information from official announcements.
Updated Bond Requirements
Vendor bonds — the XMR deposit required to activate a vendor account — have been adjusted upward effective February 1, 2026. The revision reflects both inflation in XMR value and a deliberate increase in the economic barrier to entry as a scam-prevention measure. Bond amounts vary by listing category, with higher-risk categories requiring larger bonds. All bonds are returned in full when a vendor closes their account in good standing.
Enhanced Verification Process
New vendors must now complete a multi-step verification process that includes:
- Submission and verification of a PGP keypair (no previously compromised key lengths accepted)
- A minimum introductory posting period in the vendor verification forum (Dread subdread)
- Community vetting through the introduction thread with responses from existing trusted vendors
- Compliance with an expanded list of prohibited item categories
Listing Requirements
All product listings must now include specific technical details that allow buyers to assess authenticity. Required fields have been expanded to include: expected shipping origin country, realistic delivery window with tracking option information, stealth method description, and minimum viable order size for the stated stealth approach.
Category Restrictions
Several category restrictions have been updated. Nexus Market has always prohibited weapons, explosives, and content that exploits minors — these remain absolute prohibitions. The 2026 update adds stricter requirements for fentanyl-adjacent listings, requiring explicit harm reduction language and test kit availability confirmation in all relevant listings.